1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to harness connectors, and particularly to harness connectors which can be advantageously used for electrical power harnesses for transmitting high capacity electrical power (for example, electrical power harnesses for use in low-emission vehicles such as hybrid vehicles and electric vehicles).
2. Description of Related Art
Electrical power harnesses for transmitting high capacity electrical power between electrical devices (e.g., between a motor and an inverter or between an inverter and a battery) are used in today's ever evolving low-emission vehicles (such as hybrid vehicles and electric vehicles). Electrical power harnesses are connected to an electrical device, another harness or the like by a harness connector. Such a harness connector typically includes two separate parts: a male connector formed of a first terminal housing accommodating male connector terminals; and a female connector formed of a second terminal housing accommodating female connector terminals. In use, the male connector terminals are connected to the female connector terminals by inserting the male connector into the female connector. For example, see JP-A 2009-070754.
Various efforts are being made in current years to enhance the energy-saving performances of low-emission vehicles. One such effort is to reduce the weights of components of a low-emission vehicle to as low levels as possible. One effective approach for weight saving is downsizing.
For example, JP-B 4037199 discloses a technology for downsizing a vehicle use connector. JP-B 4037199 describes a vehicle use connector that connects the connector terminals of a plurality of power supply cables from an inverter for working a driving motor of the vehicle with the connector terminals of a plurality of conductor lines to the motor. In this vehicle use connector, a plurality of terminal pairs of the power supply cable connector terminal and the conductor line connector terminal and insulators disposed between neighboring terminal pairs are stacked; and this connector terminal stack is pressed together by a single bolt inserted in the stack.
That is, in the technology disclosed in JP-B 4037199, multiple terminal pairs of connector terminals are stacked and a single bolt is inserted in the stack. And, the electrical contacts between the connector terminals in the terminal pairs can be established by pressing the stack together by screwing the bolt. Such a connecting structure has an advantage over the technology disclosed in the above-mentioned JP-A 2009-070754 in that downsizing is more feasible.
However, the technology disclosed in JP-B 4037199 has the following problem to be solved. In the technology disclosed in JP-B 4037199, the electrical contacts between multiple pairs of connector terminals are obtained by pressing together a stack of the multiple pairs of connector terminals. Therefore, it is not always guaranteed all the pairs of connector terminals are equally pressed by the same force. Thus, the contact force may be different among the contact interfaces. Such difference in contact force among contact interfaces may cause electrical connection failure in vibrating environments such as vehicles.